24 FL Counties Are Now In CDC's High COVID Risk Category

FLORIDA — Florida's latest COVID-19 surge has driven cases up in many counties. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified 24 counties where community spread was highest.

The state had nine high-risk counties on May 30, and 24 counties labeled high risk of COVID spread on Jun3 7, the CDC said.

The Florida Department of Health has not said anything on its website as of Tuesday, and Gov. Ron DeSantis has not publicly commented on the uptick in the disease.

The CDC identified 24 counties where community spread was highest:

• Hillsborough
• Pinellas
• Manatee
• Sarasota
• Polk
• Pasco
• Orange
• Seminole
• Flagler
• Volusia
• Miami-Dade
• Brevard
• Indian River
• Charlotte
• Palm Beach
• Monroe
• Sumter
• Lake
• Seminole
• Osceola
• St. Lucie
• Martin
• Broward
• Alachua

The agency compiled the list of the counties with the highest spread from case rates, hospital admissions and staffed inpatient beds per 100,000 people per county.

According to the Florida Department of Health, positive cases have increased across Florida by 16 percent in the last two weeks; COVID-related deaths have increased by 29 percent.

In March, Gov. DeSantis said COVID-19 data would be released every two weeks to the public. From the pandemic's start to June 2021, information was released daily.

The CDC reported 32 COVID-related deaths in Florida in the last seven days per 100,000 residents. The state has confirmed a total of 74,715 deaths and 6,223,573 cases since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020.

If you live in a Florida county deemed a COVID hot spot, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public, staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, and getting tested if you have symptoms.

COVID-19 Symptoms, According To The CDC, Include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

As Floridians try to enjoy summer and stay healthy, DeSantis signed the Freedom First Budget totaling $109.9 billion a week ago at a Villages press conference. The Florida Department of Health said Friday that the Freedom First Budget would help Floridians be healthier, with funding for cancer programs, to help fathers and the survivors of sexual assault.

State leaders have not discussed measures to prevent COVID spread, while some states, like California, are reinstating public indoor mask mandates during the most recent surge, and recommending their residents wear masks and get vaccinated.

Many Floridians, 10,397,299 as of June 3, have received COVID vaccinations, according to the Department of Health.

COVID vaccines began to be issued to Florida residents 65 years of age and older in December of 2020, according to the Department of Health. All adults in Florida were allowed to get vaccines starting on April 5, 2021; the CDC recommended for children ages 12 and older get vaccines beginning in August 2021; and in November 2021, children ages 5 to 11 were recommended by the CDC to get COVID-19 vaccines.

According to Politico, Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo recommended kids ages 5 and older not get the pediatric COVID vaccines.

California Patch Editor Kat Schuster and Tampa Patch Editor D'Ann Lawrence White contributed to this report.

Related Patch Story

• CDC Recommends Wearing Face Masks Indoors In 9 FL Counties
• Rays Denounce Guns, DeSantis Vetoes Team's $35M Pasco Training Field